News Flash

MUSCATINE, Iowa – The City of Muscatine Department of Public Works has declared a Snow Emergency starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday (Feb. 12) through 7 a.m. Friday (Feb. 14). The declaration is in effect for 48 hours unless cancelled sooner.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Muscatine area from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday. Heavy snow is possible with total snow accumulations between six and eight inches possible.

Brian Stineman, Public Works Director, reminds citizens that City Code 7-10-7 states that while a snow emergency is in effect, in the interest of the safety of the community, no person shall park, or allowed to remain parked, any vehicle on any portion of a snow emergency route that the snow emergency applies.

Stineman reminds residents to find off-street parking for their vehicles in order to support the snow removal efforts and to expedite the snow removal process.

Muscatine’s Snow Emergency Ordinance states that on-street parking is prohibited or limited on city streets during a declared Snow Emergency. According to the revised code, when weather conditions warrant the declaration of a snow emergency, motor traffic will be expedited and parking on City of Muscatine streets will be prohibited or restricted for snow plowing and other purposes.

City Code states that during a declared snow emergency, no person shall park, or allow to remain parked, any vehicle on any portion of a Snow Emergency route. 

Click on this link (MAP) to view the Snow Emergency routes. Signage marking the designated Snow Emergency routes was installed by the City of Muscatine in 2022.
 
If the PUSH BACK POLICY is implemented by the Department of Public Works for additional snow removal efforts, vehicle owners on residential streets would be asked to follow the alternate side parking guidelines as stated in the policy. For example, on even numbered days Public Works plow crews will push snow back to the curb on the odd side of the street, so residents are asked to park on the even side of the street (according to resident’s address number). On odd numbered days, plow crews will push snow back on the even side of the street, so residents are asked to park on the odd side of the street.

On all streets where parking is allowed on one side only, if the permitted side (where parking is allowed) is even numbered, vehicles can park on that side only on even numbered days, and find alternative off-street parking on odd days. If the permitted side (where parking is allowed) is odd-numbered, vehicles can park on that side only on odd-numbered days, and find alternative off-street parking on even days.

Please note that vehicles may be ticketed or towed if they are in violation of City Ordinance, or snow plow crews will plow around them if in violation of the Push Back Policy guidelines.